avery



Feb. 7, 1956 M. AVERY 2,734,097

HOUSING FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1g VENTOR.

A TTURNEYS Feb. 7, 1956 1.. M. AVERY HOUSING FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18 1951 JNVENTOR.

ATTORNE Y5 United States Patent HOUSING FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Leon M. Avery, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Crouse- HindsCompany, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 18, 1951, Serial No. 247,160

Claims. (Cl. 174-52) is explosion proof and whereby the exterior of the housing may be quickly and conveniently removed and when removed, the electrical apparatus mounted in the housing is completely exposed for repair, or adjustment.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a front elevational view of a housing for electrical apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on a line corresponding to line 2-2, Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3--3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view.

The housing consists of a base member which may be of rectangular formation and provided with mounting bars 11 formed with apertures 12 for the convenient mounting of the housing on a wall, or other vertical surface.

The base 10 is formed with a radial flange 13 forming a circular portion provided with a threaded periphery. The front wall of the housing is formed by a plate member 14 of circular form and also threaded on its periphery. The plate member 14 is supported in spaced relation to the base by a plurality of studs 15 carried by the base and extending forwardly therefrom. The plate 14 is fixedly secured to the outer ends of the studs 15, as by the studs being threaded into the plate. The inner ends of the studs are slidably mounted in the circular portion 13 of the base. The inner ends of the studs are formed with stem portions 16 of reduced diameter slidably mounted in bushings 17 threaded into apertures formed in the circular portion 13. The inner ends of the stem portion 16 are formed with collars 18 and helical compression springs 19 encircle the stem portions 16 and are interposed between the bushings 17 and the collar 18, whereby the studs and the plate member 14 carried thereby are yieldingly urged towards the base member. The housing is completed by a tubular member 20 provided with internal threads at each end for threaded engagement with the circular portion 13 of the base and the front plate wall 14. The threadedly engaging portions of the tubular member 20, plate 14 and circular member 13, are of the same pitch. However, the diameter of the plate member 14 is slightly less than the diameter of the circular flange 13. This arrangement permits the tubular member 20 to be sleeved directly over the plate 14 to bring the threaded portions into engagement, and requiring relatively few turns to thread the tubular member on both the base member and the plate 14. This structure provides an explosion proof enclosure. In the 2,734,097 Patented eb- ,7.,. 1956 ice event the threaded portions of the member 20 do not engage the threaded portions of the plate 14 and the circular portion 13 of the base in pitch, the plate will move axially because of the manner in which the studs 15 are spring mounted on the base. This greatly simplifies the threading operations in the manufacture and assembly of the parts.

The base 10 may be provided with one or more threaded openings for connection to the conduit line, as shown in dotted outline at 22, Figures 2 and 4. 'The housing is provided with mounting plates detachably secured to the studs 15 by U bolts 26. A switch 27 and a motor starter 28, or other electrical apparatus, may bemounted upon the plates 25. In the event the electrical apparatus mounted within the housing requires manual operation, such actuating mechanism is mounted on the end plate 14. For example, in connection with the switch 27, a shaft 30 is journalled in the plate 14 and provided at its outer end with an operating lever 31, and at its inner end with an angle bar 32 operatively engaging the switch handle 33.

The ends of the tubular member 20 may be formed with a series of axially extending projections 35 for the reception of a bar or tool to tighten or loosen the member. As shown in the drawings, the front plate 14 is carried by a pair of studs 15 to assure the plate 14 being maintained in true parallelism with the base 10. In view of the fact that the studs 15 are slidably mounted in the base, the plate 14 may be provided with a pair of studs threaded into the plate 14 and at their inner ends engaging bosses 41 formed on the base of the flange portion 13 of the base. The studs 40 function to maintain the plate 14 parallel to the base when the studs 15 are acted upon by the springs 19.

The housing is particularly advantageous in that a plurality of the housings may be mounted in close adjacency on a panel, or other vertical support. This is due to the fact that the tubular members 20 are removed from the housings in an axial direction outwardly from the base member, this obviously being accomplished without any interference with the adjacent housings. The tubular members are quickly and conveniently removed and when removed, the apparatus is completely exposed, whereby it is convenient to make wiring connections and otherwise service the apparatus.

What I claim is:

l. A housing for electrical apparatus comprising a base member having a circular portion, a circular plate member, means for supporting said plate member in spaced relation to the base and in axial registration with the circular portion thereof, said supporting means permitting limited axial movement of the plate relative to the base, and a tubular member encircling said plate member and the circular portion of the base member and having threaded connection with said members.

2. A housing for electrical apparatus comprising a base member having a circular portion, a plurality of studs projecting from the base member, a circular plate member fixedly secured to the outer ends of said studs, the inner ends of said studs being connected to the base for a limited axial movement relative thereto, and a tubular member encircling said plate member and the circular portion of the base member and having threaded connection with said members.

3. A housing for electrical apparatus comprising a base member having a circular externally threaded portion, a circular plate member formed with threads on its periphery, a plurality of studs mounted on said base member and extending outwardly therefrom, said studs being slidably mounted in the base member and being fixedly secured to said plate member and positioning the latter in axial registration with the circular portion of the base,

atanularmennser threaded on said plate member and the circular-portion of said base member; and means yield= ingly urging said studs toward the base member.

4. A housing for electrical apparatus comprising a base fi'leniber formed with an externall threaded circular poriidn, a; plurality ot slidably mounted in the base and iteriding' outwardly therefrom, a mounting plate secured t6 said studs, a circular plate member fixedly secured to the outer ends of said studs in axial registration with the circular portion of the base member, and a tubular member threaded on said plate member and the circular porof said" base member;

' 5'. A housing for electrical apparatus comprising a base iheiiiber formed with an externally threaded circular portioii'; a plt'irality of st'ud s' slidably mounted in the base and ,ciitending outwardly therefrom, a circular plate fixedly secured totii outer ends of said studs in axial registration with the circular portion of the base member, the inner ends of said studs being connected to the-base for limited axial movement relatively thereto, means yieldingly urging said studs toward the base member, said plate and base member having means cooperable to maintain said plate in parallelism with the base, a tubular member encircling said plate member and the circular portion of the base and having threaded connection with said plate and base.

isieierenees Cited in the like of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

